The Geo arms

[Mikko Wilson]

Wow, some cool stuff they've been up to over at Tiffen!

 

The new G-40 and G-50 arms look sweet! - they look just like the Flyer arm's big brother! Except for the "Ride" adjustment!

I can only image how smooth that arm is.. but how about some coments from those who've tryed it out at NAB?

 

Is it safe to assume that the Pro-vid arm will be dissapearing some time soon?

And looking at the Archer, my guess is that the SK will go too? yes? no? maybe with a G-30 arm?

 

Any word on the list prices of these units?

 

And a HD flyer, cool. (ok, I knew about that one..) but how much is it?

 

The Merlin looks kinda cool for the baby-cameras too.

 

Well done GB!

...and now I know...

 

- Mikko.

[WillArnot]

This is second hand from my NAB informants, but word is that the G-50 arm might actually be better than the Pro arm. And this is coming from a Pro arm owner!

 

How that could be mystifies me. But my pal says he watched Chris Haarhoff put the arm through its paces. And although Chris was fairly poker faced, judging by the amount of time he spent with the arm it was like Chris' inner dialogue was "jesus, how is it doing this? Can this really be true?"

 

Chris of course is one of the veterans who no longer visits here so don't expect a first hand from him. He is a brilliant operator who is the first guy to get anything new from George Paddock. Seems as if he was sniffing out the latest challenge to the throne of 'King Arm'.

 

The G-50 has a payload of 12-50lbs and costs around $8000. Apparently has adjustable Iso-elasticity. Cool. Still open extension spring design. No more pulleys. Just one large diameter spring in each section of the arm.

 

 

Who's got the first hand account??

[Mark Karavite]

I'm sitting at McCarren airport wating for the red eye home from NAB. I spent a bit of time in the Tiffen booth, and first of all, I must say that the 30th Anniversary celebration was a well deserved tribute to Garrett. When complimented on his longevity and ingenuity, he simply answered in his best Monty Python voice "Well I aint dead yet!". Maybe his genious is only surpassed by his sense of humor. After a brief speech from Garrett, a custom Segway (with no handles) was revealed, and Michael O'Shea mounted it with a lightweight rig for the maiden Segway / Steadicam voyage.

 

I did fly the new G-50 arm. The first impressive point is the boom range, I think it's around 32 inches of travel, and much smoother than previous iso elastic arms. I don't fly an iso elastic arm, mainly because I thought they were stiff through the boom range, compared to other arms. I thought a heavier payload would be attractive, and it may be in the works. Dan Kneece spent a lot of time with the arm on Tuesday, so hopfully we'll hear his comments.

 

Tiffen also had the new Klassen GB Dual harness. For those who haven't seen it, it's similar to a Universal, but they have added a front mounted socket block to the front door of the harness. Two requirements for this addition are a metal hinge on the side getting the socket block, and Walter has reinforced the carbon fiber on the whole harness. I asked Walter if my Universal (built last year) could handle the forces of the front mounted socket block, and he said he would have to run some tests back at the shop before he knew the answer. Garrett thought that existing Universal & Traditional harnesses (with the new front) could be reinforced. I could see this being very useful for shots that require a narrower footprint. I was considering buying a used front mounted vest for those situations. I'll wait to hear what Walter has to say.

 

Howard did have a working Alien at the MK-V booth. It was my first look at it, and it was more compact than I had envisioned. The automatic levelling of the camera and monitor seemed very smooth. Howard was executing some very interesting shots with the rig. It certainly has a learning curve for operating. Even with a light video camera and a back mounted harness, most operators agree that it is strenuous to operate. This seems mainly due to the need to operate further away from the body than normal.

 

Lot's of other cool stuff at the show, but we'll keep it to Steadicam topics here.

 

Mark Karavite

Steadicam Owner / Operator

[Eric Fletcher S.O.C.]

This is second hand from my NAB informants, but word is that the G-50 arm might actually be better than the Pro arm.  And this is coming from a Pro arm owner!

 

Who's got the first hand account??

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

Hmmmm, I might know who your friend is talking about.

 

The G-50 is damned impressive 32" of Vertical travel, adjustable ride, the 50lbs arm can be wound down to 10 lbs, and it's LIGHT 8lbs.

 

I flew it both with the Klassen Front to Back and the Tiffen Ultra Vest. The back to front is interesting. It feels pretty much like a back mount but without the width. THe tiffen suit is stiffer but sorry it's not my cup of tea.

 

THe arm though is pretty damn good.

[Mikko Wilson]

Wait.. Steadicam on a Segway?! *PLEASE* tell me someone has pictures of this!

And I though on a bike was tricky...

 

- Mikko.

[Charles Papert]

I think we were all too busy stuffing our holes with canapes and cocktails to take pix of the Segway--it was fun to see Mike go sailing past at lightning speeds with the rig onboard!

 

G50 arm was terrific, indeed.

[Alec Jarnagin SOC]

Brant Fagan and I had the pleasure of splitting the two days of Steadicam for the Segway sales tape (the one that shows endlessly at at the US retail store, Brookstone). Needless to say, we both had to give it a whirl with the rig on (this was almost two years ago). We both concluded that it would be a cool tool for Steadicam, but required major modifications. The designers were open to the idea, but I think we dropped the ball on follow-up so I'm curious what was done and who did it.

 

As stated the handle bars need to be removed, but this removes the steering control. What was put into its place? Also, to go forward one leans forward which is a little nerve racking while wearing the rig. I suggested more conventional controls (maybe even via a remote that a grip could control or you could place on the gimbal!). If the shifting of one's weight were removed from the equation then you could build a speedrail "T" behind the operator like we do on cranes for you to lean on as you ride; this would also facilitate step on and offs.

 

Anyway, I have not thought much about it since then, but now you've got me excited again.

 

Cheers,

[Charles Papert]

Steering on this system was available via two foot pedals. The gent who brought this unit was extremely agile with it.

 

To me, though, it's hard to see a Segway without being reminded of Gob from "Arrested Development".

[Alec Jarnagin SOC]

Charles,

 

Was the Segway owned by Mile O'Shea or was he just trying it out? Just curious because he lives out here.

 

Thanks.

[Charles Papert]

As I recall from GB's explanation, the hands-free Segway was owned by a European performance artist who had created a show with women in long skirts riding the things in complex manuevers (the skirts hiding the Segways)--easy to imagine how cool that must look!

 

p.s. Mile O'Shea? is this that game where you try to turn one person's name into another by changing one letter at a time? No problem--next up would be Milo O'Shea, famed Irish actor with extraordinarily busy eyebrows...

[Alec Jarnagin SOC]

Mike, sorry for the typo. Charles, granted my goof was with a person's name, but compared to some of the typos here, I think I'll still hold my head high. I worry about the twenties-somethings who seem (in force) to have no idea that "there" and "their" are separate words with distinct meanings.

[BJMcDonnell SOC]

Hey Everybody!

 

 

I am just curious to see if anyone snapped a photo of the Geo arm at NAB? I was working so I did not get to attend so if anybody can post a photo that would rock!

 

BJ McDonnell

[JimBartell]

Mike, sorry for the typo.  Charles, granted my goof was with a person's name, but compared to some of the typos here, I think I'll still hold my head high.  I worry about the twenties-somethings who seem (in force) to have no idea that "there" and "their" are separate words with distinct meanings.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I thought that I was the only one that that irritated! And actually, it's "there", "their" AND "they're" that get abused. Also, "your" and "you're " are misused on a near daily basis. Please understand that this is NOT aimed at our international bretheren. My total lack of any non-English language skills certainly puts me in no position to cast stones, but we English-as-a-first-language types have no excuse.

 

Jim "Catholic school survivor" Bartell

[Nicholas M. Chopp]

Mike, sorry for the typo.  Charles, granted my goof was with a person's name, but compared to some of the typos here, I think I'll still hold my head high.  I worry about the twenties-somethings who seem (in force) to have no idea that "there" and "their" are separate words with distinct meanings.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I thought that I was the only one that that irritated! And actually, it's "there", "their" AND "they're" that get abused. Also, "your" and "you're " are misused on a near daily basis. Please understand that this is NOT aimed at our international bretheren. My total lack of any non-English language skills certainly puts me in no position to cast stones, but we English-as-a-first-language types have no excuse.

 

Jim "Catholic school survivor" Bartell

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

What always gets me is "there's a lot of". There is a lot of? It's a contraction of "there" and "is", people!

[Jay Kim]

Hey Everybody!

 

 

  I am just curious to see if anyone snapped a photo of the Geo arm at NAB? I was working so I did not get to attend so if anybody can post a photo that would rock!

 

BJ McDonnell

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Actually, if you go to

http://www.steadicam.com/videoClipper.html

and click Clipper Literature(.pdf) you will see detailed picture of G-50 Arm.

 

Jay KIM